An ecological approach: a viable option for aquaculture industry in Malaysia

Citation

Abstract / Synopsis

Aquaculture sector in Malaysia is poised to playa major role to compensate for the declining
capture fisheries, and is expected to emerge as one of the major agricultural contributors
to the national economy. The industry is anticipated to increase the production to 600,000
mt, generating returns up to US$2.63 billion by 2010. This is a significant increase of
approximately 360% in production compared to the current production of 167,894 mt valued
at US$255.34 million.
Aquaculture involves utilization of natural resources such as clean water, vast tracks of
land, feed materials and fertilizers to produce desirable products with simultaneous
production of organic and chemical wastes. Thus, the successful development of this
sector is dependent on the nation's ability to utilize its resources efficiently and sustain its
growth without adversely affecting the aquatic environment. At present, most aquaculture
practices in Malaysia generate adverse impacts on aquatic environment, the very resource
that determine the sUccess and the sustainability of the aquaculture industry. Wetland
habitats such as mangroves, estuaries, sea-grass beds, coral reefs and mudflats are
particularly vulnerable, especially when the impacts exceeded the ecosystem's resilience
and carrying capacity. However, carrying capacity in various ecosystems is poorly known
and thus the tendency to exceed the upper limit seems to be common in most environments.
Adverse impacts associated with aquaculture, especially the intensive systems, include
habitat destruction, discharge of effluents with high organic contents, contamination of
the aquatic environment with chemicals, eutrophication, disease outbreak, effects of
escaped- exotic species and decrease in biodiversity.